Was The Lake Cleaner This Year?

Grant · 10-24-2009, 09:13 AM

From a diver's perspective, visibility was about average this year.

The biggest decline in water quality has really been over the past 25-30 years. My family has been in the same location since 1945, and still draws water from the Lake (although we stopped drinking Lake/tap water years ago). But overall turbidity has escalated dramatically in my lifetime (I'm 48, and have spent every year on Winnipesaukee, most of it snorkeling & SCUBA diving). Then again, the number of houses, lawns and boats has increased quite a bit, too. But overall, Winnipesaukee remains pretty clear.

I think temperature had a lot to do with clarity this year as well -- it never really got warm enough to spur those MASSIVE algae blooms that've become a staple of August over the past ten years or so. I saw far less green algae in open water than usual in August & September. This is a good thing, but all you need is another warm summer and it'll be back.

10-24-2009, 09:13 AM	#15
Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Posts: 1,501 Thanks: 377 Thanked 231 Times in 125 Posts	From a diver's perspective, visibility was about average this year. The biggest decline in water quality has really been over the past 25-30 years. My family has been in the same location since 1945, and still draws water from the Lake (although we stopped drinking Lake/tap water years ago). But overall turbidity has escalated dramatically in my lifetime (I'm 48, and have spent every year on Winnipesaukee, most of it snorkeling & SCUBA diving). Then again, the number of houses, lawns and boats has increased quite a bit, too. But overall, Winnipesaukee remains pretty clear. I think temperature had a lot to do with clarity this year as well -- it never really got warm enough to spur those MASSIVE algae blooms that've become a staple of August over the past ten years or so. I saw far less green algae in open water than usual in August & September. This is a good thing, but all you need is another warm summer and it'll be back. __________________ "When I die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it."